I want to introduce you to Amanda. She has spent most of her life in cities but has had a lot of fun living in the more rural setting of her central Oregon small town. The sunshine of the high desert is a big reason why she settled there.

As an employee at a local TV station, she gets to handle lots of behind-the-scenes work. While it wasn’t the job she initially applied for at the station, her skills make her great at it.

In her free time, she loves to kayak, do light hiking, spend time outside, and cook. Amanda loves CSAs and they have given her the ability to take care of her health in powerful ways. She loves to share her health journey in hopes it can help someone else.

CSA Share Pick-Up Location

Bend

Type Of Membership

10# share with lamb add-on

The Driving Forces Behind Joining A CSA

After moving to southeastern Washington from southern California, Amanda found herself in a very large agricultural community. CSAs were everywhere. She had a few friends who were members and she thought they were really cool.

Amanda started having some health issues and was eventually diagnosed with lupus. After learning more about her diagnosis and the impacts on her body, she discovered lupus is largely gut-based.

She tried to go all organic but was having a hard time finding truly organic foods at the store, as there are a lot of triggers and sensitivities with lupus.

She decided it would be better to try and get her vegetables and meat directly from a farm especially because she was so leary of grocery store meat.

Finding Double F Ranch

Amanda had started the process of researching meat CSAs. She found Double F Ranch and really loved their story. It set them apart from the other meat CSAs that she found. She decided to contact Katia and join.

Putting Her Health First

Amanda shared that what she eats is the number one thing that affects her lupus. While she doesn’t have an allergy to anything, she does have a lot of sensitivities. Even minor pesticides or anything coming into contact with them can cause a flare-up.

It has taken her years to get her health back to a point where she is able to manage it solely through her diet. This is where the CSAs play a huge role.

Local agriculture helps a lot. I am getting the good bugs and bacteria that come from healthy soil which makes a huge difference as well.

With meat, any antibiotics the animals are eating, you're eating too, or whatever they're getting injected with, you're consuming. The cleaner, the better.

I've also been medication free for a year and a half and it is entirely balanced by diet, exercise and stress management. It was not easy but I'm really happy to be here. 

Amanda was also told that she had a gluten sensitivity. However, she discovered that whole wheat flour that is not enriched doesn’t cause her issues. She is so happy to have access to the ranch whole wheat flour and uses it to make sourdough bread.

Favorite Cuts

Her favorite cut is the whole chicken. She breaks out her massive air fryer for the task and claims it comes out like a grocery store rotisserie chicken. Afterward, she uses her Instant Pot to make chicken stock.

It is important to Amanda that nothing goes to waste. She is a pro at literally using the whole chicken. After removing the meat and making the stock, she will keep pressure-cooking the chicken bones until they are soft. She grinds them up and makes food for her dog.

She also loves the lamb stew meat. Her boyfriend came over for dinner one St. Patrick’s Day in which she had made lamb stew. Everything tasted so good and the meat was falling apart. He had never had lamb before and was quick to ask when she was going to cook it again!

Another stand-out meal was barbacoa which Amanda made from a large beef roast. She loved that it provided leftovers for them during the week.

Recipe Inspiration

If there is one food site that Amanda loves, it is The Kitchn. She gets their regular newsletter with recipes.

She also utilizes her “ridiculously organized” Pinterest board for saving recipes.

When she finds herself with a new cut of meat and is stumped on what to make with it, she Googles it. Amanda jokes that when she meal plans, she tells everyone to be quiet while she consults “The Google”.

• This is also her go-to tip for newer members. She recommends that you just get on Google and start researching ideas for how to cook a new cut.

Looking Forward

Amanda looks forward to her future in the CSA and all its nourishment!

Final Thoughts

Amanda shared she is usually one of the last people around as the CSA pick-up closes and loves that time to chat with Nathan and Katia.

Her overall experience in the CSA has been positive.

Thank you, Amanda, for sharing your CSA experience with us! -Rachel